Kanika Sef
Junior Member
There will be a time when you believe everything is finished. That will be the beginning. -L'Amour
Posts: 50
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Post by Kanika Sef on Aug 17, 2008 3:30:44 GMT
By the time Kanika reached the last door on the left her anger had lost it's edge and her pace had slowed. She just didn't have the focus to maintain it. Oh well, she couldn't help but think with a wistful smile, it was fun while it lasted. As a general rule she didn't enjoy being rude to people, but she would much rather feel angry than dead-tired.
She stopped in front of the room and just stood still for a moment, having forgotten where she was and what she was doing. She wasn't even registering what was in the hallway. Or that she was even in a hallway. Her mind had pretty much stalled.
She leaned against the door, frowning vaguely as the distant portion of her mind that realized she was about to pass out struggled to push back the blackness. Her obstinance won her the battle, but the thoughts that returned were even vaguer than before. Why had she squandered her nonexistent strength on her temper? When it came to matters of pride she could be so foolish. She sighed, finally got around to turning the key in the door, and walked in.
There was a small table just inside the door and she dropped the key upon it without conscious thought. She wouldn't remember where she put it when she woke up. Not that it mattered. All she really cared about right now was the bed that was closest to her.
She walked up to the bed and let herself collapse into the mattress with a faint groan of relief. She didn't have time to remember that she was still splattered with drying blood. Or that she was still wearing her boots. It didn't even matter that she still had a gun tucked into the waist of her skirt. Sleep sucked her under so quickly that her eyes flashed open in surprise. Yet they immediately emptied of all sentient thought, suddenly blank and a much darker shade of gold now that they were without even the faintest glimmer of internal light, and her eyes fluttered closed almost as quickly as they'd flown open. She had fallen asleep in seconds.
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Post by Balthazar on Aug 18, 2008 23:19:09 GMT
Balthazar followed her to the room, he saw her stumble slightly and nearly fall on the door but still he made his progress slowly. He just got through the rooms door as she collapsed on the bed. He closed it behind him and locked it. He saw her startle but made no move. He was in too much agony at this point. His shirt was dripping in blood his own blood. He dropped his trench coat off of his shoulders, it sliding on his blood. He slowly removed his first sword belt. Leaning it against the wall behind the door. Then came his second sword belt, he lent that against the bottom of the other bed. Slowly he slipped off the 2 bracers. One with his small crossbow. The other with his Buckler. Both of those where dropped to the floor. He removed each of the throwing daggers from his lower back. Normally hidden beneath his trench coat. He unstrapped the quiver on his thigh and pulled just one bolt before it fell to the floor. His breaths where labored now. The Adrenaline finally leaving his system. He had sharp pains in his chest. That "gun" had hurt more than he cared to admit. He reached out in the bathroom. Seeing such unfamiliar things. The sink seemed similar to the ones in his home world. Although he was used to very simpler versions.
He managed to get the sink running and in turn the bath. As the bath poured he set about boiling the water in the sink. With a few fireballs it was boiled. He placed the Dark Steel bolt in the water. Sterilizing it. He managed to gently remove his top. With great pain. He managed to eventually strip off and ease himself into the water. It was warm and invited rest. He could not rest too easy though. He was surrounded by enemies and strangers. He needed to be clean and healed.
A short while later he got out of the bath and chucked his clothing in. Leaving them to soak. Luckily his Trousers weren't so bad. He had those back on within a short time.
His chest wound had healed slightly and had stopped bleeding. It still ached though. He knew there was something inside him. He grabbed the clean bolt and slinked to the bed. He carefully leaned against the wall, bracing himself for what was to come.
In went the bolt, a slight growl escaping his lips. The growl was deep and feral. He could feel it then. That hint of anger at the edge of his conscious thought. He reopened the wound. New blood trickled down but not much. He was there with some cloth he had found in the bathroom. He had to go in with his fingers. They where sensitive and strong. Built up with strength after the so many years of magic spell casting. He managed to retrieve the bullet. It had been lodged on one of his bones. Harder than most due to his Demonic heritage but he was still worried. As he pulled hard to remove the bullet he let out an almighty howl, screaming to the world around him of the pain he was going through. Darkness edged his vision. He could still see the world around him but in a blurred fashion. He held back the demon ripping at his subconscious, trying to get hold and take over. He blinked and managed to return to full coherence. He needed his weapons. Anyone hearing that may become curious. He could not take the chance. Nor did he have the strength at that moment to stand.
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Kanika Sef
Junior Member
There will be a time when you believe everything is finished. That will be the beginning. -L'Amour
Posts: 50
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Post by Kanika Sef on Aug 19, 2008 8:20:34 GMT
Of all the sounds Balthazar had made, only his pained howl had been enough to disturb her sleep. Normally, even the peaceful sound of running water in the bathroom, and especially his low growl, would have startled her awake. His howl would have frightened her so badly that she'd have sprung to the opposite side of the room and shifted into a large snarling jackal in a blink of an eye. Now she nearly failed to rise at all.
Kanika woke slowly, her eyes opening but not immediately registering anything they saw. As she gazed into this darkness, waiting patiently for her eyes to focus, she tried to remember why she was bothering to wake up in the first place. Since her conscious mind had shut down she couldn't, but as tempting as the thought of just rolling onto her side and falling back asleep was she couldn't let herself dismiss her unease so quickly.
When her gaze focused on the unfamiliar headboard that was part of an unfamiliar bed she found it easier to gather her thoughts. She remembered where she was in a flash and turned her head toward the sound of Balthazar's harsh breathing before her fatigue-addled mind even registered that this was what it was. She saw that her ally was leaning against the wall and definately looking the worse for wear. She drew in a slow breath, noting that the slightly stale smell of congealing blood clung only to her now. Yet from his direction, the scent of blood was fresh.
Suddenly concerned she pushed herself off her stomach, gritting her teeth when this feat proved itself far more difficult than it should. She tried not to think about that, choosing instead to focus on slinging her legs over the side of the bed, standing, and then the tricky process of walking over to Balthazar without stumbling into something.
"How badly are you hurt?" She asked him, her gaze focused on the bullet wound in his chest. It was bleeding again, but not badly. She just didn't know what to think about that. That wound would have killed almost any other being, but it hadn't killed him. Yet he seemed to be in a great deal of pain right now.
She wrapped an arm around his waist, determined to help him to his bed. "You should sit down," She said firmly, not even waiting for an answer. Her exhaustion was still there, dragging at her limbs like lead weights, but she refused to let that stop her. If he had carried her to the palace, she could help him to the bed. It was only a few steps away. She pulled his arm around her shoulders and proceeded to cover that short distance. She was shaking slightly with the effort, but her steps didn't falter. That was something to proud of.
She set Balthazar on the edge of the bed and let herself sink to her knees, resting her arms on the mattress and the side of her head on her arms as she considered him. She was so tired...she closed her eyes but soon opened them again. She might be tired, but at least she wasn't injured. She could wait awhile before she let herself fall asleep.
"Is there anything I can do to help?" She asked. Her voice was breathy since she was a bit winded from the walk to the bed. She winced and hoped he wouldn't notice.
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Post by Balthazar on Aug 20, 2008 19:17:54 GMT
With a deep breath and a slight wince he winked at Kanika. "I'll heal, now you get back to you rest!" He reached over and picked up his sword and deftly swung it. He even reached down and brushed a few strands of hair from her face. "Please go sleep, I'll be fully regenerated soon. I need you to sleep, to be strong so you can explain why the hell this hurt so much." He reached out with a bloodied hand showing her the bullet he had removed. He smiled and there was a sparkle in his eyes. A few beads of sweat on his brow, but ultimately looking calm.
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Kanika Sef
Junior Member
There will be a time when you believe everything is finished. That will be the beginning. -L'Amour
Posts: 50
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Post by Kanika Sef on Aug 22, 2008 15:46:49 GMT
Kanika sighed, her eyes nearly falling shut again when Balthazar's fingers brushed a few wayward strands of hair back from her face. It was such a comforting gesture...it made her remember vaguely the sense of safety she had always felt when her parents had tucked her in at night. That felt like a lifetime ago now.
She still didn't really believe him when he said he was all right, that he would heal. (She still couldn't believe that was possible. He had been shot through the heart! Or maybe his heart was located somewhere else?) but she may have let it go if he hadn't shown her the bullet, covered in his blood the same way his hand was coated in it. It took a few seconds for her sluggish mind to connect the dots, but when it did...
She launched herself to her feet, planting her hands on the side of the bed. This was more for balance than emphasis. Flinging herself to her feet hadn't been a good idea. The room was spinning. "You took that out on your own?" She asked, fixing her gaze on him even though trying to focus was a chore. She felt her blood drain from her face just thinking about it. "Why didn't you wake me up? I could have-" She interrupted that thought, swallowing hard. "I could have found someone to help you." She said instead, changing it.
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Post by Balthazar on Aug 22, 2008 17:33:31 GMT
He smiled, his regenerative powers already at work. He felt the ache lessen. He stood quickly, with only a slight wince. "Hey, calm down. I've done worse. Now you need your sleep." He lifted her slight form and took her to her own bed. "Go to sleep, I'll explain when you've had rest!" He moved to her side. And sat on the bed next to her. "Look, my wound is healing already. If you want I'll sit with you a while." He placed the sword next to the night stand, looking to her for an answer. Unsure if she would openly shoot him down or most likely be shocked and cause uncomfortable silence.
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Kanika Sef
Junior Member
There will be a time when you believe everything is finished. That will be the beginning. -L'Amour
Posts: 50
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Post by Kanika Sef on Aug 23, 2008 11:04:47 GMT
Kanika blinked when Balthazar picked her up for the second time. She smiled faintly when she thought of how different her reaction would be should someone else at some other time have tried the same thing. She was usually so nervous of people, especially the ones with red eyes, but all she felt now was warmth and the persuasive pull of sleep.
She rolled onto her side and curled into a loose ball when he set her down on her bed, the instinctive urge to avoid leaving her stomach open to attack ingrained far deeper into her mind than any fleeting conscious thought. She considered him for a moment when he offered to stay by her for a little while, though her pause was not a result of surprise or distaste. It was just taking her longer now to process what was said and what she would say in return. "But you are...were? hurt," She began, her voice beginning to fade into a whisper even though the words were persistent. "Aren't you tired?"
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Post by Balthazar on Aug 23, 2008 11:17:35 GMT
He smiled down at her curled form, "I'm fine. I've only been here a short time. I could go fight again if I had to. Takes more than that to ware me out." He looked down at her slight frame. "You get comfortable and get your rest. Or I'll be getting tired of convincing you." He chuckled slightly and noticed less pain. He knew for certain now that he would fully heal and would be fine in less than an hour.
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Kanika Sef
Junior Member
There will be a time when you believe everything is finished. That will be the beginning. -L'Amour
Posts: 50
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Post by Kanika Sef on Aug 24, 2008 7:41:20 GMT
"You'd better," She murmured, trying to sound tough even though this wasn't really possible under the circumstances. She sighed and let herself relax into the mattress, giving up the fight to stay awake.
She only had one more thing to say. "Thank you." She murmured softly. Those two words really didn't cover it. She was grateful that he had saved her from those soulless monsters in the alley, grateful that he had helped her reach safety, grateful that he had offered to sit by her until she fell asleep. And more than that, she was glad that he had been kind to her and that she wasn't alone now, even though she may not always be this fortunate. It seemed likely to her that at some point they would have to part ways, that nothing good lasted forever. But until then...
She closed her eyes and the thought remained unfinished. She wouldn't even stir in her sleep for at least eight hours. It would take that long to regain even a fraction of the strength that she had slowly squandered through months of misuse.
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Post by Balthazar on Aug 24, 2008 17:14:31 GMT
Balthazar sat and watched as her breathing became steadily more rhythmic. Slow and steady. He could see she was in a deep sleep. He stood shakily, still feeling a little tightness in his chest but nothing he couldn't over come. He walked to the rooms door and check to make sure it was secure. Even going as far as to prop a chair against it. Eventually after a few paces and checking the whole suite he sat on his bed. Back to the wall and sat modifying his Crossbow and bolts. If he came across one of those "guns" again he was going to be prepared. The hours drifted by as he waited patiently for Kanika to stir from her much needed sleep.
((Basicly Balthazar will wait for you to wake up, just put how many hours had actually passed.))
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Kanika Sef
Junior Member
There will be a time when you believe everything is finished. That will be the beginning. -L'Amour
Posts: 50
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Post by Kanika Sef on Aug 26, 2008 7:38:30 GMT
Nine hours later, Kanika found herself in a nightmare that had begun to disturb her. Which was actually quite a feat, since she thought she had gotten used to this crap by now. But this, this dream was different.
She was in the dark alleyway again, her captors moving in on her with monstrously-cruel expressions that had been exaggerated by her mind. She was a jackal and in chains, just as she had been when Balthazar had found her. But, as was the trend with her nightmares, there was no one to rescue her now. No one at all who didn't wish her harm...except for a pure white falcon in a rusted cage. She met the creatures eyes and recognized the sentient being behind them as another shape-shifter. Except her eyes were lifeless, utterly without hope.
She was struck first with a sense of horror, but it was followed quickly by flames of fury that immediately began to consume her. They have no right, the thought twisted through her mind, gaining power. THEY CAN'T DO THIS TO PEOPLE!!! This last was an inner scream that she could not voice. Not in this form. She lunged forward, pulling at her chains with such ferocity that for a moment, they gave. For once she fought, sick of evading trouble. Sick to death of letting terrible things like this happen around her while she did nothing.
But the chains tightened around her before she could reach the first figure, dragging her to the ground. She couldn't move, but she could watch the faint glow of the ethereal white falcon disappear as it's cage was carried through a dark doorway and out of sight. And at that moment she knew one thing. That shape-shifter would never cross that threshold again.
Kanika woke up immediately, sitting up before the image of the vanishing bird had entirely faded from her mind's eye. She was shivering, felt slightly sick, and could feel the coolness of drying tears on her cheeks. She wiped them away immediately, drawing her legs up to her chest as she drew in a breath of air with a shuddering gasp. "What a nightmare," She murmured softly to herself, and nearly smiled at the understatement. That vision had affected her more profoundly than any nightmare she'd had in years.
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Post by Balthazar on Aug 26, 2008 16:16:04 GMT
As soon as she sat up Balthazar's head snapped to the side. He looked right at her. The cold sweat on her brow. She had been having a bad dream. He had notice, but Balthazar's view on dreams was probably different. She sat their with her knees tucked up close. "You ok? Wanna talk about it?" He was still tweaking his Crossbow at that point. He had almost finished but it could wait. He swung his legs round so that he was facing her directly.
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Kanika Sef
Junior Member
There will be a time when you believe everything is finished. That will be the beginning. -L'Amour
Posts: 50
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Post by Kanika Sef on Aug 29, 2008 6:31:54 GMT
Kanika looked toward Balthazar. "It...was just a dream. It really wasn't that scary. I don't know why it frightened me so much. But that's the thing. It didn't really frighten me, it just..." She tried to identify the confusing mire of emotion that the dream had inspired in her. "made me angry."
Not only angry. It had filled her with a sense of murderous outrage, but that was the kind of thing she liked to keep to herself. She hated feeling as though she was capable of terrible things. But she also hated the thought that she lacked spine enough to stand her ground when facing something that she despised.
Her gaze was still resting on Balthazar, but her attention had turned inward. She was trying to sort out the conflict in her mind, to decide which impulse was the real one. What did she really want to do and what did she think she should want to do? Once she phrased it like that she knew the answer. She wanted to shred the sons of bitches that would cruelly force other sentient being to fight to the death for their own amusement. She didn't like the darkness of her thoughts and really disliked how tempting the idea of injesting the meat of her slaughtered enemies seemed to her. That definitely wasn't human, but the thoughts were there and more real than the moralistic ideals that told her it was wrong to think such things.
Her own resigned sigh brought her back to the present. "I don't know," She said, shaking her head. She thought it must seem like a dull thing to talk about and didn't want to continue the discussion for fear that it would make her seem whiny and pathetic.
Besides, she had just remembered..."What about you?" She asked him suddenly, "Are you all right? Has that bullet wound really healed already?" Her golden eyes were soft with concern, but there was a feverish intensity growing in their depths that hinted at a growing desire for vengeance. On a level that she hadn't yet had the chance to acknowledge, she wanted to destroy the denizens of the fighting ring for hurting the one that had saved her as well as everything else. She wanted to make them suffer for so many things...
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Post by Balthazar on Aug 30, 2008 12:10:12 GMT
"Alright, dreams are just dreams afterall." He licked his thumb and moved it over where is wound was and cleaned away some of the blood. There was only a tiny little scar now just a bit of blood caked in. "Yeah its fine now, I don't know about you but I am seriously hungry. Is there anything to eat in this land?" He was lying ofcourse he could go another few days without needing to eat. He would however get weaker and his regenerative powers would suffer but if needed he could survive. He stood up then and walked to the bathroom. He grabbed his wet clothing from in the bath and started to dry them. "I think I'd better put my shirt back on,"
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Post by Balthazar on Nov 17, 2008 0:35:54 GMT
Within short order Balthazar had his clothes back on. He was still a bit achy from the bullet hole but he would live. Thankfully. By the time he got back into the sleeping room Kanika was gone. "Typical.....", Grabbing his equipment and getting fully equipped he left the room and made his way to the Reception area.
((Balthazar Out))
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